Serbia: Memorial for Queen Marie

From the Office of HRH The Crown Prince ALEXANDER...

HM Queen Maria Memorial London church service prior to repatriation to Serbia

Belgrade, 28 April 2013 – A memorial service for the late HM Queen Mother Maria was officiated this morning by Very Reverent Father Radomir Acimovic in London at The Serbian Orthodox Church St. Sava in the presence of Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander, Crown Princess Katherine, Prince Peter, Prince Philip, Princess Katarina (daughter of Prince Tomislav), Prince Dimitri and Princess Lavinia (children of Prince Andrej), Mr. Nicholas Balfour (representing and son of HRH Princess Elisabeth) H. E. Dr. Dejan Popovic, Ambassador of Serbia in United Kingdom and many devoted citizens who paid their final respects to the beloved Queen.

Her Majesty Queen Mother Maria died on 22 June 1961 in exile and was buried at The Royal Burial grounds in Frogmore near Windsor Castle. With the gracious permission of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Dean of Windsor, Anglican Church, Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Her Majesty’s remains will be transferred to Royal Chapel of St. Andrew the First Called in Belgrade tomorrow on Monday 29 April.

Following the Memorial Service Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine host a private lunch for the Royal Family at Claridge’s Hotel. 

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Alexander emphasized: “Dear relatives, friends and admirers of Queen Maria and the Karadjordjevic Dynasty. We are gathered here today to say farewell to our grandmother, Queen Maria, on her way home, where she will soon join family members in Royal Mausoleum at Oplenac. Queen Maria died fifty-two years ago and was buried here in Great Britain, surrounded by her ancestors and relatives. 

However, she was far away from Serbia, our country and her people whom she loved with all her heart and whose great benefactor she was. The return to Serbia was a great wish of Queen and today she is finally going back there, to be buried next to her husband King Alexander I and her sons. By paying respect to Queen Maria, today we also pay respect to all who took part in creating Serbian history. 

I wish to express my deepest gratitude to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Dean of St. George Church in Windsor, the Church of England and the Serbian ambassador to the United Kingdom Dr. Dejan Popovic. My thanks go to all members of the Government of the Republic of Serbia for their great support, as well as to the State Commission for the transfer of Karadjordjevic family members' remains. I thank everybody who were persistent in helping this journey come true. May God speed your return home, dear grandmother! Eternal Glory to her!”

On Monday, 29 April HM Queen Maria’s casket will be met at the Nikola Tesla airport (Belgrade) by the Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander, Crown Princess Katherine, Princess Elizabeth, H.E. Mr. Ivica Dacic Prime minister, Professor Oliver Antic Special legal Advisor and Mr. Radoslav Pavlovic Cultural Advisor to President of Serbia H. E. Mr. Tomislav Nikolic, government officials and Serbian Orthodox Church representative His Grace Vicar Bishop of Hvosno Atanasije with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia.

The memorial service for HM Queen Maria at the Royal Chapel will be officiated by His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia at 6 p.m. Following the service a reception will take place for State officials, members of the Crown Council and Religious leaders.

Her Majesty Queen Maria will be placed next to her son His Majesty King Peter II at The Royal Palace Chapel of St. Andrew the First Called in Belgrade until 26 May when the official State Funeral ceremony for Their Majesties King Peter II, Queen Alexandra and Queen Mother Maria will take place in The Family Mausoleum in Oplenac.

Their Royal Highnesses extend their special gratitude for support to realization of this initiative to Sir Christopher Geidt, Private Secretary to the Sovereign, as well as the Serbian national air carrier JAT Airways for transport without remuneration as well as extraordinary efforts of the Embassy of Serbia in United Kingdom’s Consul Councilor Mrs. Ljiljana Zarubica who managed to coordinate all parties involved and contributed greatly to the success of this initiative.

Serbia: Queen Marie Returns to Belgrade

More than five decades after her death, Queen Marie of Yugoslavia, wife of King Alexander I, will return to eternal peace in the Royal family's Mausoleum at Oplenac.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/serbia/10022862/Yugoslavias-exiled-Queen-returns-home-at-long-last.html

An Interesting Story of a Noble Refugee!

Countess Ilona Teleki von Szék [©NYT]
(1939-2013)

Two weeks ago, a little-known Wall Street banker passed away in New York City.

For decades she worked for Merrill, and in spite of having no college degree or any university education to speak of, Ilona DeVito di Porriasa enjoyed a very successful career.

Reading the obituary made me want to find out a little more about this obscure lady, her past and roots deep in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire.

As it turns out, Mrs DeVito di Porriasa was born Countess Ilona Teleki von Szék, her family being among the most prestigious of the old Hungarian aristocracy that for centuries served as the mainstay of Habsburg power in Eastern Europe.

The Telekis can find their roots in the XIII century and have enjoyed noble status for centuries. Their familial connections run deep among the pristine group of aristocratic families that for centuries ruled that part of faraway and legend-filled Europe. A look at their genealogy (Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Gräfliche Häuser, Band XVI, 2000) provides the genealogist with a vast sampling of the intricate web of aristocratic relations that formed the ancestry of this famed countly family.

Countess Ilona Maria Teleki von Szék was born in 1939 at Klausenburg (Kolozsvár), the former capital of the famed and legend-rich Grand Duchy of Transylvania. Her family suffered greatly during the Second World War. Eventually her father made it to the USA and after nearly two decades of trying to get his children out from behind the Iron Wall, he succeeded. Ilona and her brother Pál Arctur, with their mother, the former Baroness Anna Benz von Albkron, settled in New York with their father Count Béla (1899-1990).

Read the obituary, it tells us a fascinating story of a family that lost everything and through perseverance, was able to build a new life in the USA.

As sad as their tragedy was, theirs is a living example of the great opportunities America provides, one of the many reason why I, an immigrant, love this country so very much!

Enjoy the reading...

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/27/nyregion/in-new-york-the-death-of-a-countess-in-exile.html

Eurohistory: Issue XCII (April 2013, Volume 16.2) in preparation!

To mee tour printing deadline (May 1), earlier this week we began preparing the latest number of our magazine, EUROHISTORY.

ISSUE XCII – April 2013 will include the following articles:

1. The Wedding of Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia and Prince Ernst August of Hannover, Berlin – 24 May 1913. (by Marlene Eilers-Koenig)

2. Royal Book Reviews.

3. Prince Vsevelod Ioannovich of Russia (1914-1973). (by Coryne Hall)

4. Unto the Fourth Generation – Monarchs with Three Generations of Heirs, Part 1. (by Paul Brighton)

5. What's In a Photo – A Habsburg Visit to the Court of Madrid. (by Ilana Miller)

6. Obituary: Princess Lilian of Sweden.

7. Royal News.


We expect to begin mailing this issue on May 6, nearly two weeks ahead of schedule.

If you have not sent us your renewal, do not delay in doing so!

Enjoy the reading...

The Netherlands: All You Wanted to Know About the Swearing-In

Our dear friend and contributor Akram Al-Nagdy has listed useful information for those interested in keeping up and watching the abdication of Queen Beatrix and the swearing-in of future King Willem-Alexander...who in my opinion ought to be Willem IV.

http://theroyalcouturier.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-royal-info-all-you-need-to-know_24.html

New Book: Russia and Europe ON SALE!!!!

Hello All,

With much joy I can let you know that our newest book is now available for purchase on AMAZON!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0985460326

I hope you buy and enjoy it!

New Book: Russia and Europe Ships April 16!

Today, much to our delight, the printer sent us notice that Russia and Europe – Dynastic Ties will be shipped to us on April 10!

The book will begin shipping to buyers on April 16!

The Amazon page for the book will be updated to begin sales on April 11.

Meanwhile, as usual, we give precedence to OUR readers. You can download the order form here!

https://www.yousendit.com/download/UVJpRm8wMVg4NVg1SE1UQw

The Wedding of the Hereditary Prince zu Hohenlohe-Bartenstein

The upcoming wedding of Hereditary Prince Maximilian zu Hohenlohe-Bartenstein and his fiancée, Cristina Vozzi Castriota Scanderbeg is scheduled to take place in Rome on 25 May, 2013.

The venue chosen by the couple is the Church of Santa Maria del Priorato, piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta. This ancient structure, in existence since the X Century, is the priory church of the Priory of the Knights  of Malta n te Aventine Hill. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Maria_del_Priorato)

The bride is the daughter of Ambassador don Ruggero Vozzi Castriota Scanderbeg and of his wife Suzzane Vozzi Castriota Sacnderbed du Chesne.

Maximilian is the eldest son of Fürst Ferdinand zu Hohenlohe-Bartenstein and of his late wife, the former Princess Franziska zu Oettingen-Oettingen und Oettingen-Spielberg. The Hereditary Prince Maximilian was born in Munich on 29 March 1972. He has four siblings: Felix, born in 1973 (married since 2012 to doña Cristina Gutiérrez-Maturana-Larios, a daughter of the late Marqués de Larios and his second wife); Alice, born in 1978 (and married since 2011 to Prince Christian zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg); Margherita, born in 1979; and Georgina, born in 1982 (married since 2011 to Count Clemens Douglas).

The groom, who ran for his local city council under the banner of the CDU, believes it to be his duty to "not only passively participate in the political process." He wanted to, "achieve the best for the community of Schrozberg." 

He works as a mason and stone carver and owns a company that also works in restoration of historial monuments.

Fürst Ferdinand, a widower since 2011, is the brother of Princess Franziska (wife of Baron Maximilien de Watteville-Berckheim) and of Princess Henriette (wife of Count Hans-Veit zu Toerring-Jettenbach, Head of House).

New Book: Definitely Royal ... more or less!

We are now finally able to sell this book to our clients. Enjoy!


Fans of Robert Golden's two previous books, "Relatively Royal" and "The Golden Book of Royalty" are in for a treat! This third volume of Royal pictures, inside information and tidbits, focusing the junior branches, the lesser known members of Queen Victoria's extended family, will disappoint no one. The author's fondness for the people he is describing and his inimitable writing style has attracted thousands of regal readers all over the world. Read about the Mountbattens, the Athlones, the Cambridges, the Gloucesters and Kents, the Fifes and Connaughts as well as the four rather unknown sisters of the Duke of Edinburgh and their families. Even the Bowes-Lyons and the Snowdons are there ...


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9198064509

ERHJ: Eurohistory Issue XCI (February 2013) Off to Print!

The latest number of EUROHISTORY (Issue XCI – Volume 16.1) is off to the printers Monday!

This is the first issue of the current subscription year (2013) and will begin mailing as soon as it returns to us from the printer.

Inside this issue, readers will find the following articles:

1. What's In a Photo: A Royal Visit to the Court of Tsar Alexander III of Russia.

2. An Imperial Wedding in Washington DC – Archduke Imre of Austria Marries Miss Kathleen Walker.

3. Books Reviews.

4. The "Inhuldiging" – The Solemnization of the Dutch Monarch's Accession to the Throne.

5. Murder in Marseille – The Assassination of King Alexander I of Yugoslavia.

6. The Reburial of King Zog of the Albanians.

7. What's In a Name?

8. Obituary: Princess Margarita of Baden.

9. Royal News.


For subscribers who need to send their renewal, we have attached a copy of the form as well as a link where to download the 2013 Eurohistory Renewal.

2013 Renewal Form:

https://www.yousendit.com/dl?phi_action=app/orchestrateDownload&rurl=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.yousendit.com%252Ftransfer.php%253Faction%253Dbatch_download%2526send_id%253D2019096964%2526email%253D5272498a54d3253c4f0115eef152d990&s=19105&cid=tx-02002208350200000000